Montana Delegation Responds to Approval Rating

A poll released Wednesday by the Associated Press, shows as the government shutdown continues, Americans' approval of Congress has dropped near all-time lows to a dismal 5 percent.

And Montana lawmakers say they agree.

Democratic Senator Jon Tester and Republican Congressman Steve Daines are on opposite sides of the issue and are both frustrated by the lack of compromise.

"We've got very poor ratings and for a darn good reason," Tester said. "If somebody asked me if our Congress was operating in a good fashion, I would vote no. So, I'm not sure who the 9 or 10 percent are that think the federal government is working, but I'm certainly not one of them."

Both Tester and Daines say the key to winning back public support will be showing their constituents they can work together.

"My question is who are those 5 percent that still approve of Congress? The whole system is broken and Americans and Montanans are rightly outraged by what's going on back here," Daines said.

Both Tester and Daines say the key to winning back public support will be showing their constituents they can work together.

Congressman Daines will be up for re-election in 2014, while Senator Tester will not be up for another cycle until 2016.

Senator Max Baucus, who announced his retirement from Senate, also deplores the shutdown.

Students with their whole lives ahead of them and the teachers who tried to protect them were among the 17 people killed when a gunman opened fire with an AR-15 at a large high school in south Florida.

Students with their whole lives ahead of them and the teachers who tried to protect them were among the 17 people killed when a gunman opened fire with an AR-15 at a large high school in south Florida.